Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) uses “Waffle House Index” to determine storm severity

According to the Wall Street Journal, FEMA uses the Waffle House’s menu to determine the severity of a storm.

“Green means the restaurant is serving a full menu, which means the damage is limited and the lights are on. Yellow means a limited menu, which means the power is coming from a generator at best and food supplies are low. Red means the restaurant is closed, which is a sign of severe damage and unsafe conditions.”

Waffle House Inc. has 1,600 restaurants from the mid-Atlantic to Florida and across the Gulf Coast, which are areas that are particularly vulnerable to hurricanes. The company has developed a manual for opening after a disaster (including what to serve if there is gas but no electricity, or a generator but no ice), bought portable generators and a mobile command center, and given employees emergency contact information.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904716604576542460736605364.html